If E & E door handle is stuck in retracted position with the door closed, possibly with a E&E door warning.
Investigations into reported E&E bay door handle anomalies and warning light illuminations indicates that the probable cause is vibration which causes the door latch mechanism to move toward the open position in flight. The part of the mechanism that engages and disengages the latching pins in the handle slightly unlatching over time. When the handle is attempted to engage with the unlocking mechanism, it cannot because the coupling pins are not aligned. If this misalignment is only a few degrees, it may cause the following two difficulties:
1. The door warning light to illuminate because the latch pin moves toward the unlatched position.
2. The door may not be able to be opened because the handle will not deploy when released and it may not be able to be pulled out. This can occur when the dowel pins in the mechanism move from their alignment with a slot in the lower handle shaft mechanism. If this happens, the door can not be opened from the outside. (FTD 52-08005)
Do not force the handle out because it will break.
Remove the batteries through the fwd cargo hold, and crawl in to the E & E,
Now use a water pump plier and rotate the center shaft to unlock the door.
Thanks to Richard E. for this input.
